Who Would Have Thunk?
by millerdobey
Summary: Sam gives Daniel some interesting news.


_This is a fun little story I wrote several years ago. It is my one and only Stargate fanfiction. If you start reading and think to yourself, "This would never happen." I know. Please read all the way to the end. This story has been through a beta but if you see any mistakes or have any suggestions, please let me know. Obviously I don't own Stargate, so don't sue me. I know the characterizations aren't perfect, but I hope I'm close. _

Who Would Have Thunk?

Sam exuberantly burst through the door with Teal'c following gracefully behind, "Holy Hannah, Daniel! Turn on the television, you will never believe what's happening!"

"What Sam, what is it?" Daniel deeply concerned for his friend stood up and immediately headed toward the excited colonel, ignoring the advice to turn on the television.

"It's horrible, Air Force One crashed!"

"Air Force One crashed?" Daniel somberly repeated as he let the news sink in. He suddenly had a horrible thought. "Oh, God Sam, Jack wasn't on that plane, was he?"

"No Daniel, I'm sorry I didn't mean to imply he was, the general is fine but the President, Vice President and most of his cabinet..." she trailed off, "There were no survivors, they're all dead!"

He sat down heavily on a nearby stool, "How'd this happen?" He glanced back up toward Sam, "I thought the President and Vice-President always traveled separately to avoid this exact situation?"

"Normally they do, but according to the news there was a last minute issue with a couple of the other planes so they all decided to travel together. There has never been a crash involving Air Force One and the flight was such a short one they felt there was no cause for concern.

Daniel stood back up and immediately started pacing, "How is the country going to handle this? Who's going to be the new President? And I know I'm going to sound selfish in this time of crisis but what about the Stargate program? I know we no longer have the Goa'uld or the Replicators to worry about but the Ori are a force more powerful who won't easily be defeated. We need the Stargate now more than ever and I'm afraid this will be a good excuse to shut the program down for good or at the very least temporarily. They already want to cut our budget to 30 percent and that's with having the President..." Daniel cleared his throat, "Um, late President on our side."

"Oh, I don't think we have to worry about that Daniel," Sam stated as she and Teal'c quickly glanced at one another before refocusing on Daniel.

"Why not?" He enunciated slowly worried about the silent exchange that had just taken place amongst his friends. They definitely knew something he did not.

"Who's the new president?" Daniel asked cautiously.

"Just think about it, Daniel," Sam stated waiting for the look of realization to hit his face.

Daniel deep in thought unconsciously pushed the rims of his glasses higher up onto the bridge of his nose before asking, "Who did you say was on that plane again?"

"The President."

"Yeah."

"Vice President."

Daniel quickly extended a finger in the air, that's one, he thought to himself.

"Speaker of the House."

Another finger shot up, that's two.

"President pro temore of the Senate."

Three.

"Secretary of State, Treasury and Defense."

Four, five and six.

"As well as the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security."

That's seven and eight. Daniel stared at his eight extended fingers while contemplating his ninth. The ninth person of succession would now be President. Nine, nine, nine. Now who was number nine again? Oh, yeah, number nine is...

His eyes widened, "You've got to be kidding?"

Carter let a sly grin slide across her face.

Teal'c raised his eyebrow as he cocked his head.

"You can't possibly be serious?"

"Yes, Daniel," shaking her head up and down emphasizing the confirmation.

"This is a joke, right?"

"It is indeed true, DanielJackson," Teal'c bowed his head.

Finally taking Sam's advice Daniel darted toward the television leaping over a couple of book filled boxes in the process.

He turned it on just in time to see, and more importantly hear the familiar, "Oh, for cry'in out loud, can we just get on with this? Gimme that thing!" The man pulled the bible toward him. "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

***

"NOOOOOOOO!" Daniel screamed as he sat stark upright in bed. He rubbed his eyes trying to focus better on the present. Man, what a nightmare. Jack, President? He laughed out loud at the thought of Jack being 'The Man'. He could just hear Jack now introducing himself to a world leader, "Hi, I'm President O'Neill. That's O'Neill with two L's." He'd shake the leader's hand at the same time making some obscure reference to the Wizard of Oz like suggesting to China they should paint their Great Wall yellow.

Daniel lay back down and closed his eyes trying to forget the dream as he snuggled his head back into his pillow. One last grin crossed his lips caused by the thoughts of Blue Jell-O and Cake Day becoming national holidays, as well as, Uncle Sam on the 'We Want You!' posters being replaced with Homer Simpson.

"D'oh," escaped as a whisper before he finally fell back asleep.

THE END

_This story was inspired by hearing on the radio that the senate passed a bill moving the Secretary of Homeland Security to number eight on the list order of Presidential succession. I figured Director of Home World Security, if there were such a title, would be up there somewhere as well, if not higher. At least in my little world that I live in. As always please be kind and rewind... I mean review!_


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